“I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” is not a beneficial motto for your health! In a world full of endless to-do lists and too few hours in the day, sleep is often the first thing to get skimped on. Losing just an hour of sleep a night can have serious effects on your overall health, weight, and mood. While everyone’s sleep needs are different,most people need around 7-9 hours each night. Having a regular and consistent sleep schedule, rather than catching upon lost hours over the weekend is most beneficial.

Getting a solid night’s sleep, every night,will keep your immune system strong and fighting for your health. Skimping on slumber will leave your body working in over-drive, weakening the immune system and putting you at a much higher risk for illness. There is also a significant link between lack of sleep and risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, even stroke. As if these serious health conditions aren’t enough reason to hit the hay earlier, there is also a direct link between insufficient sleep and weight gain. When you are lacking on sleep, the production of the hormone responsible for alerting the body that it’s full, leptin, slows down. So aside from having less energy to cook healthy meals rather than hit up the drive-thru, your body may not signal you to stop eating, leading to significant weight gain. Lastly, if you’re not logging enough hours of sleep, your brain won’t function at its best. A lack of sleep affects your cognition, decision making ability, and alertness. Essentially, that dazed and cloudy-minded feeling you have after waking up in the morning lingers. This can also affect your mood, increasing irritability and grogginess.

For the sake of your health, mentality, and sanity – power off your laptop, TV, and phone early tonight and give your body the rest in needs and deserves